Funeral repatriation from United States
Bringing someone home from the United States
We arrange everything in the United States and the flight home, wherever home is, and send you one written quote before anything is booked.
- Typical time
- 10 to 21 days
- Local documents
- 5 to 14 days, depending on the state
Prefer to message? WhatsApp +44 7703 577246
What is different about the United States
- The rules vary from state to state. A medical examiner or coroner takes charge after a sudden or unexplained death and holds the body until it is released.
- Death certificates are in English and show the cause of death. An apostille may be needed for use abroad.
- Embalming is standard practice and required for international repatriation.
- After a death away from a major airport, the body is first driven to a hub with international cargo flights.
What can take longer
- An investigation by the medical examiner or coroner
- State transit permits
- Weekend and holiday closures at the state offices that issue death certificates
- A death far from a major airport
Typical time 7 to 10 days in a straightforward case, 10 to 21 days for most, and 3 to 8 weeks with a post-mortem or investigation.
Documents usually needed
- Certified copy of the death certificate
- Embalming certificate
- Transit permit from the state or county
- Apostille on the death certificate, where the destination asks for one
- Passport of the person who died, or a certified copy
- Airline cargo documents
You do not need any of these to ask for a quote. We tell you what is needed for your case, and the funeral director where they died obtains most of them.
What we arrange
- Collection from the hospital or mortuary
- Mortuary care, and embalming where it is required
- A coffin suitable for air transport, usually zinc-lined
- Local registration and the export documents
- The cargo flight, with the airline's human remains service
- Collection at the arrival airport and delivery to your funeral director or chosen funeral home
If your family prefers, we can arrange cremation where they died and send the ashes home. Cremation and ashes
What it costs
From further afield, repatriation typically costs £5,000 to £12,000, sometimes more. Bringing ashes home costs much less. Cremation is widely available across the United States.
Within Europe
£3,000 to £7,000
For example from Spain, France, Greece or Italy.
From further afield
£5,000 to £12,000 or more
Asia, Africa, the Americas and Australasia.
Bringing ashes home
Often £1,000 to £3,000
After cremation where they died.
Typical ranges from published UK funeral sector guides (2026) for routes to and from the UK. Routes between other countries are often in a similar range but can differ. Figures in pounds sterling. Your written quote is the figure for your case. What affects the cost
If they had travel insurance
Many travel policies cover repatriation. Some insurers want to approve the provider and the cost before anything is booked, so tell us who the insurer is. You can send our written quote to them for approval first.
Faith and timing
If your faith asks for burial within a day or two, ritual washing, or cremation by the family, tell us at the start. We plan around it as far as the local authorities and the airline allow, and tell you plainly what the timing will be.
How it works
Tell us what has happened
Where they died, where home is, and how to reach you. Documents are not needed for the quote.
We reply within the hour
By email, day or night, with the few details we still need.
We check the requirements
The official rules for leaving the country where they died and for arriving home, and any faith or timing needs you tell us about.
You receive one written quote
It sets out what is included and what is not. Nothing is booked until you accept it.
We arrange everything
When you accept, we tell you which funeral directors are carrying out each stage. Then we arrange the documents, the coffin for air travel and the flight, and keep you updated until they arrive home.
Bringing someone home from the US
Send the details any time, or message us on WhatsApp. Asking costs nothing.